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Collect Wisdom: Ted Owens reflects on playing, coaching career

Basketball coach

Age: 87

Residence: Tulsa

INTERVIEWED BY RYAN ABER, STAFF WRITER, RABER@OKLAHOMAN.COM

Basketball has taken Ted Owens plenty of places. The Hollis native grew up to play basketball at Oklahoma from 1949-51 before moving into coaching, where he coached Kansas for 19 seasons from 1964-83, leading the Jayhawks to two Final Fours. He then coached at Oral Roberts for two seasons and in Israel for a brief time.

Now, Owens lives in Tulsa and has been seen in recent years regularly in both Norman and Lawrence. In October, Owens underwent an elective heart procedure.